Norah O'Donnell's Surprise Return to 'CBS Mornings' Sparks Comeback Speculation After Seven-Year Hiatus
Norah O'Donnell will be hosting 'CBS Mornings' next week.
Feb. 18 2026, Published 4:30 p.m. ET
Norah O’Donnell is set to host CBS Mornings next week, sparking rumors she could be returning to the show permanently, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 52-year-old will be taking on hosting duties after a seven-year hiatus, as she will be in New York City on a book tour.
Could Norah O'Donnel Be Coming Back For Good?
O'Donnell previously co-hosted 'CBS Morning' with Gayle King and Charlie Rose.
Before her departure, O'Donnell had hosted CBS Mornings with Gayle King and Charlie Rose.
It is unknown if her return is to test her chemistry with King and Nate Burleson, as top network execs are looking to overhaul the show, as it has been struggling in the ratings department.
A network insider denied O'Donnell is being considered to return to the show, but rather is part of a rotating group of people to help until a third co-host is named.
Looking to 'Test' Norah O'Donnell?
O'Donnell will be in New York City promoting her book.
Two other sources insisted CBS editor-in-chief Bari Weiss requested O'Donnell host next week despite having a busy promotional schedule for her book.
One insider noted Weiss had said King and O'Donnell garnered strong ratings when they co-hosted the show, and she was curious if that could be replicated.
"If you are going to promote a book, you could do segments on it; you don’t have to have them co-host," a source said, insisting it was possible CBS may be looking to test her as they attempt to repair the fractured show.
The Pressure Is on Gayle King
An insider questioned if O'Donnell's return could be a 'shot across the bow' at King.
While CBS would not comment, CBS News president Tom Cibrowski and Weiss are looking for ways to revamp the show while also keeping costs down, which could involve cutting King.
One source noted bringing O'Donnell back could potentially be a "negotiation tactic" in an attempt to get King to sign on for less money.
"Is this a shot across the bow?" the insider asked. "They're definitely going to make some big changes on CBS Mornings. There are a lot of moving parts, and they’re trying to figure it out."
Norah O'Donnell's History With the CBS Morning Show
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O'Donnell was ousted as the 'CBS Evening News' anchor last year.
Although she was ousted as a CBS Evening News anchor last year, O'Donnell has still stayed in the mix at CBS, as she serves as a contributor to 60 Minutes and as a special correspondent.
"Norah’s career is being resurrected under Bari Weiss," a source insisted, alleging O'Donnell is "dying" to be back in the limelight and likely would take a position in any anchor role.
When she was co-host of CBS This Morning, O'Donnell, King, and Rose garnered strong ratings, closing the gap with Today and Good Morning America.
In February 2016, the show saw its strongest ratings in 22 years and averaged 4 million viewers.
After Rose was terminated for sexual assault allegations in 2017, ratings declined. Two years later, O'Donnell left the program to take on her new role on the evening news.
Since she departed, the ratings have continued to decline, with the show only bringing in 1.8 million total viewers in recent months. As for why the ratings have gone down, some sources feel it is due to the "woke" programming of the show.
